Santa Barbara to San Diego

[magentawave]

I need to sail a Cross 34 trimaran from Santa Barbara to San Diego Harbor before November 1st. I have offers for crew but I might do this singlehanded. Besides the obvious, like watching Predict Wind's 7 day forecast, do you have any suggestions for doing this solo - or with crew?

Thanks

[Don C L]

I’m sure more folks will chime in too. I’ll do what I can to help out here with my 2 cents worth. This wouldn’t be the boat named “Webfoot” by any chance is it? Maybe that’s not a Cross.
First of all do you have an inboard or outboard? In other words can you expect to motor at a good clip for long distances (as in 15 hours) or are you expecting to be sailing primarily? And do you have an auto pilot and/or windvane? By the way, I have no idea of your experience, so if I tell you something plainly obvious, forgive me. If motorsailing, since there typically isn’t much wind except for afternoons this time of year, I’d head for platform Gina off Port Hueneme and then cut southwest directly across the shipping lane and then out south of Anacapa before turning south for Catalina. Stay clear of shipping and be aware that ships coming south, south of the Channel Islands, may be crossing in front of you as they approach LA harbor. Personally I’d break up the trip by stopping at Two Harbors on Catalina. So that’s about halfway at 77 miles. Then from there to San Diego is another 84.. It’s a long day to Catalina. If you leave Sb at 4 am that puts you at Gina about 9 am or so and then south of Anacapa you may luck out with a good breeze in the afternoon but motoring you should be able to get there as it is getting dark (8 pm, averaging 5 kts or so, I’m figuring conservatively here. If you know you can beat that, all the better!) Now if you are planning to sail, I’d plan differently. As you may know the wind is typically out farther so I would be thinking of going outside between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa ( get there by 10 or 11 am, it may be too breezy by afternoon) and then staying out in the northwesterly breezes which are usually pretty reliable out there. If the wind dies in the wee hours as it is wont to do you may end up heaving to before Catalina of course and you can get some rest. As you may know too, fall is when we can expect Santa Ana winds, and those are to be avoided, period, especially closer in. If a big high is predicted to develop over the southwest, watch the weather forecast closely! Ok that’s probably way more than you need for now. Wish I could crew for you.

[JPA Cate]

If planning to singlehand, you really will need an autopilot. You can pee in a bottle, no worries, but you can't steer from the toilet.

If you singlehand, going outside everything makes a lot of sense, both because of better breeze, but also for dealing with what I think of as hazards--you shall have omitted lots of hard bits nearer shore.

If you take crew, you then have other eyes you can trust to wake you if something doesn't look right. You will have to sleep some time, and your decisions get poorer as the hours awake increase. You can use stimulants to keep awake, and may have the illusion of being able to make good decisions, but in fact, your reasoning ability eventually becomes impaired.

Ann

[magentawave]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I’m sure more folks will chime in too. I’ll do what I can to help out here with my 2 cents worth. This wouldn’t be the boat named “Webfoot” by any chance is it? Maybe that’s not a Cross.
First of all do you have an inboard or outboard? In other words can you expect to motor at a good clip for long distances (as in 15 hours) or are you expecting to be sailing primarily? And do you have an auto pilot and/or windvane? By the way, I have no idea of your experience, so if I tell you something plainly obvious, forgive me. If motorsailing, since there typically isn’t much wind except for afternoons this time of year, I’d head for platform Gina off Port Hueneme and then cut southwest directly across the shipping lane and then out south of Anacapa before turning south for Catalina. Stay clear of shipping and be aware that ships coming south, south of the Channel Islands, may be crossing in front of you as they approach LA harbor. Personally I’d break up the trip by stopping at Two Harbors on Catalina. So that’s about halfway at 77 miles. Then from there to San Diego is another 84.. It’s a long day to Catalina. If you leave Sb at 4 am that puts you at Gina about 9 am or so and then south of Anacapa you may luck out with a good breeze in the afternoon but motoring you should be able to get there as it is getting dark (8 pm, averaging 5 kts or so, I’m figuring conservatively here. If you know you can beat that, all the better!) Now if you are planning to sail, I’d plan differently. As you may know the wind is typically out farther so I would be thinking of going outside between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa ( get there by 10 or 11 am, it may be too breezy by afternoon) and then staying out in the northwesterly breezes which are usually pretty reliable out there. If the wind dies in the wee hours as it is wont to do you may end up heaving to before Catalina of course and you can get some rest. As you may know too, fall is when we can expect Santa Ana winds, and those are to be avoided, period, especially closer in. If a big high is predicted to develop over the southwest, watch the weather forecast closely! Ok that’s probably way more than you need for now. Wish I could crew for you.

No, it's not Webfoot. Outboard is 9.9 High Thrust Yamaha on a sled. Don't know how far that motor can go per gallon yet but will ask seller. I have auto-pilot. My experience is years of sailing in the mild seas off of San Diego and a few trips to Catalina as well as windsurfing in nuking conditions when I lived on Maui. Point is, I know how to sail but don't know all the intricacies involved in serious offshore cruising yet - but with practice I will. What you said is definitely not "way more" than I need to know and I really appreciate you taking the time to post your comments. Thank you.

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

If planning to singlehand, you really will need an autopilot. You can pee in a bottle, no worries, but you can't steer from the toilet.

If you singlehand, going outside everything makes a lot of sense, both because of better breeze, but also for dealing with what I think of as hazards--you shall have omitted lots of hard bits nearer shore.

If you take crew, you then have other eyes you can trust to wake you if something doesn't look right. You will have to sleep some time, and your decisions get poorer as the hours awake increase. You can use stimulants to keep awake, and may have the illusion of being able to make good decisions, but in fact, your reasoning ability eventually becomes impaired.

Ann

I have auto-pilot but have decided that since this is my first real sail on the boat that I'll take a crew with me. (The crew might be the seller who has sailed her several times from Santa Barbara to San Fran and back.) Yes, bad decisions follow no sleep and I am a very light sleeper. Thank you for your input.

[Don C L]

Ah, well if the PO is with you and he or she has a few trips north, I’m sure you’ll be fine going south. Really the most “offshore” conditions you’ll likely find are from about 5 miles off the west end of Santa Cruz Island through to the other side where it typically peters out. Give the west end a wide berth if you go that way. Otherwise, with crew and an outboard you could poke along to Gina like I said. Just guessing by I think, given good conditions, you’ll burn about 6 gallons to Gina (the oil rig platform) at least I do with my 8hp 2stroke outboard on my 9000# of monohull. I suspect the 9.9 on that boat will keep you going 5kts fairly well with the main up too. If you have some wind, which you probably will at least in afternoons and evenings, you will have a fantastic time! Even without wind it will be fantastic, but I am biased. I’ve always wondered, is there some ballast in that keel Crosses have? I can’t imagine why, but I’ve wondered why such a relatively deep keel on those.

[magentawave]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Ah, well if the PO is with you and he or she has a few trips north, I’m sure you’ll be fine going south. Really the most “offshore” conditions you’ll likely find are from about 5 miles off the west end of Santa Cruz Island through to the other side where it typically peters out. Give the west end a wide berth if you go that way. Otherwise, with crew and an outboard you could poke along to Gina like I said. Just guessing by I think, given good conditions, you’ll burn about 6 gallons to Gina (the oil rig platform) at least I do with my 8hp 2stroke outboard on my 9000# of monohull. I suspect the 9.9 on that boat will keep you going 5kts fairly well with the main up too. If you have some wind, which you probably will at least in afternoons and evenings, you will have a fantastic time! Even without wind it will be fantastic, but I am biased. I’ve always wondered, is there some ballast in that keel Crosses have? I can’t imagine why, but I’ve wondered why such a relatively deep keel on those.

No, no ballast in the keel. She moves along nicely. In the sea trial we were doing almost 6 knots in smooth seas in what felt and looked like 6 knots of wind on just the main and jib. (The anemometer thingee at the top of the mast is stuck against the mast so I guessed at what the wind speed was.)

Is your 8 hp outboard one of the newer fuel efficient 2 strokes?

[Don C L]

Yeah I think I’m figuring pretty conservatively for your boat. My outboard is just an old 2 stroke with the “power prop.” If you’re not in a rush you could poke around the Channel Islands before heading down. That’s what I’d do. Keep us posted how it goes!

[Zzmeyer]

Good advice here. I'd just add it is likely that you will have little or no wind at night so following the advice to stop at Two Harbors is good. Also, if you go inshore there are several traffic separation zones to concern yourself with. Enjoy.

[Rearsteer]

Santa Barbara to Pelicans on Santa Cruise. Then to Smugglers Cove. Then to Santa Barbara Island. Then to the south side of Catalina Island. Then to San Diego. If you have time, go to San Miguel Island then to Santa Rosa Island. Lots of good stuff out there.

[magentawave]

UPDATE: It looks like I'll be doing this trip solo. Assuming the weather is okay and winds are prevailing North Westerlies, here's the route I'm considering...

DAY 1: Leave Santa Barbara Harbor November 1 and anchor at Yellowbanks, Santa Cruz Island.

DAY 2: Leave Yellowbanks and anchor in Catalina Harbor (or maybe Two Harbors).

DAY 3: Leave Cat Harbor (or Two Harbors) to Avalon.

DAY 4: Leave Avalon to Mariners Basin in Mission Bay, San Diego.

DAY 5: Leave Mission Bay to San Diego Harbor.

What do you think?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by magentawave

UPDATE: It looks like I'll be doing this trip solo. Assuming the weather is okay and winds are prevailing North Westerlies, here's the route I'm considering...

DAY 1: Leave Santa Barbara Harbor November 1 and anchor at Yellowbanks, Santa Cruz Island.

DAY 2: Leave Yellowbanks and anchor in Catalina Harbor (or maybe Two Harbors).

DAY 3: Leave Cat Harbor (or Two Harbors) to Avalon.

DAY 4: Leave Avalon to Mariners Basin in Mission Bay, San Diego.

DAY 5: Leave Mission Bay to San Diego Harbor.

What do you think?

First question, will you be motoring? And how is the engine?

Yellowbanks is ok, but it will be dead calm over there more often than not. If you are sailing only I'd probably go for Smuggler's because when the breeze picks up you'll be able catch it sooner coming down the north side of the island, or better yet Scorpion. In any case I don't see much advantage to Yellowbanks, unless you might be thinking of doing some surfing over there (?)
Otherwise, sounds good to me!
Sure wish I could get out there right about now! It should be a beautiful trip!

[Don C L]

BTW report back and let us know how it goes! Keep an eye out for Santa Anas.

[Pizzazz]

How about you leave Santa Barbara and head straight to San Diego? Will be there in a little over a day. If you are sailing solo there is not much to do at the islands.

[magentawave]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

How about you leave Santa Barbara and head straight to San Diego? Will be there in a little over a day. If you are sailing solo there is not much to do at the islands.

I need to be off the mooring in Santa Barbara by the 1st of November and then I have 5 days to kill because my mooring in San Diego won't be available until November 5.

[magentawave]

Originally Posted by Don C L

First question, will you be motoring? And how is the engine?

Yellowbanks is ok, but it will be dead calm over there more often than not. If you are sailing only I'd probably go for Smuggler's because when the breeze picks up you'll be able catch it sooner coming down the north side of the island, or better yet Scorpion. In any case I don't see much advantage to Yellowbanks, unless you might be thinking of doing some surfing over there (?)
Otherwise, sounds good to me!
Sure wish I could get out there right about now! It should be a beautiful trip!

Sailing as much as possible. Motor is good though.

Good point about catching the wind sooner at Smugglers instead of Yellowbanks. I would like to surf Yellowbanks but won't be able to take my boards on the train up to Santa Barbara. I assume that spot takes a south swell anyway so I doubt it'll be happening.

Any downside to Smugglers vs Yellowbanks?